Hood latch



Feb. 16, 1932. N. A. MEARS ET AL 1,845,170

HOOD LATCH Original Filed may 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 16, 1932;N. A. MEARS ET AL 1,845,170

HOQD LATCH I Original Filed y 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fnvenz/ ons Jaw/072J2. Jfecwafi flzZreZZ 2.72 7266 Patented Feb. 16, 1932 U ITE STATES orILLI OIS PATENT OFFICE f ,NoR'roN' A. MEARS AND nrsnnm, 3 names], on,onicAeoQ r LINors, AssIeNons no CHICAGO FORGING & MANUFACTURING oronIoAeo, ILLINQIS,,A eonrom'rroN Boon LATCH pri inai application filed:Ma 10,1929; Serial No. 361,932. Divided and. this application ies-1.Serial Our invention relates'to looking or latching means for closuresand is herein shown as applied to an automobile hood. Oine' pur- V poseis the provision of-simple andieas'ily eperated means for securing anautomobile hood in closed position. Another object is the provision ofmeans for drawing the hood down wardly and inwardlyagains't 'iftsabutment on the frame of the automobile. Another ob- 1o ject is theprovision of means for permitting the actuation of a plurality of hoodlatching means by a 'single handle adapted both to latch. and 'unlatc'hthe hood and to raise and lower the hood. Other objects will appear '15from time to time inthe course ofthe specification and claims. v v

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in -theaccompanying drawings, wherein W Figure 1 is a side elevation;

Figure 2 is an interior elevation Figure 3 is asection on the lineFigure 2; V V

Figure 4 is :a section on the line l-of Figure 5 is .a section on theline 5T5 of Figure2; J? A Figure 6 is a view similar to FigurQQillustrating the device in unlockedposition.

\ Like parts are indic'ated by IikesymbolS throughout the specificationand drawings;

Referring first-to Figures 1 and following, A generally indicates the'body of-the vehicle and A a hinged hood-member. A indicates the vehicleframe, and A a hoodf abut- .ment secured thereto; A A* indicate ter'minal valouments for the ends of the hood. Mounted within the hoodis arock shaft-generally indicated as 'B having the terminal .re'curvedportions B B which are received in bearings B B on the interiorof thehood. It will "be observed 'that no bearings are shown between *thebearings B and 'the intermediate bearings B adjacentjthe central:portion of the rod. It will be understood thatadditional bearingsmaybe'interposedif :necessa-ry. The mecurved' portion iscon- -n'ectedwi-h the bo'dy -of the rod 'bya short stretch B which, when takenin-e'onnec'ti'on withthe adj acent' portions of the-rodB, serves ma Aril as,

-as'--a crank arm for e gaging ,any snitable latch abuments B B her-ein'shown as mounted on the members A, having the facesfB inclined upwardlyand i-nwardly' from the hood. B indicates a projection at the upperendofzeach such face. Between the central members the rock shaft isindicated as offset-or deformed as at Bflthis-oifset portion includingwhat may be called a cam portion I "B Whieh'maybe more or less curvedasshown for example in Figure 4.

6 indicates a'shaft with the exterior 'handle C the shaft passingthrough the hood. At its inner'end is mounted the cam 'member generallyindicated asC which may have the hook or horn C? adapted to cooperatewith the portion B of the offset 33. Itis further provided with an apronB which, when the device is in looking position, as shown in Figure 2,overlies the offset portion and constrains it to the full line positionof Figure &.

The flange B of'the apron B engagestheside B of the offset and limitsfurther counterclockwise movement, locking the parts in the positioninwhich'they are shownin Figure 2.

This limit is preferably so arranged that at that position the handle Cis horizontal, for convenience. It will be understood that when theparts-arein the fullline position in which they are shown in Figure 2the ofisets or a crank Farms formed by the ends of the shaft B inconnection with the end members 13 are thrust into locking 4 engagementwith the 'inclinededge'sjB of the abutments B and the result is thedrawing downwardlyand inward'ly of the lower edge-of the hood. B

indicates adepression in theaprodBfladeIpted to hold the parts locked,when it engages theportion B7. Y I

Taaking the parts when the device is-rotated elockwise',- the horn Cengages the offset B andjexerts acammi-ng action against its lower-'inclined porfor example in -the posi- 'tion in which they are shown Fi'g ire 2,

-' of a single handle member.

tween the bearings B? and B horizontal position when the cranks B havebeen removed toinoperative position and is therefore in the mostconvenient postion forv in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammaticrather than as limiting us to our specific showing. v

The present application is a division of applicants co-pendingapplication Serial N umber 361,932, filed on the th day of May, 1929. l

The use and operation of our invention are asfollows:

In securing the hinged hood portions of automobiles and the like,securing means are desirable which hold the hood firmly in position,which draw the lower edge of the hood downwardly, to hold it tight, andwhich also draw it inwardly or prevent it from outward movement.Vilehave provided means for effecting these results which are simple andefficient and which respond to the movement This handle member, beingpreferably situated midway between the ends of the hood, notonly servesto control the hood latching means, but also serves as a handle forlifting the hood when the latchesare disengaged. W'e preferably employ ahandle of somewhat elongated form, to serve conveniently as a lifting aswell as a turning means.- lVe preferably so proportion the partsthat thehandle C is in generally horizontal position when the latch members Bare disengaged. WVe find it convenient to limit the rotation of thehandle to an arc of 180 degrees, whereby the handle is also inhorizontalposition when the hoodis latched. V p

. In order to provide simple means for latching the hood in position weemploy a-rock shaft the ends of which may be bent or deformed to formcrank arms or the equivalent ofcrank arms. Inother words some partof therock shaft, preferably the end is so far offset from the centerofrotation of the body of the rockshaft, that rotation ofothe rock shaftimparts such movement tothe end or .ends as willcooperate with a latchabutment to have the desired locking effect. Preferably in order to formthe crank arms or crank portions we provide the terminal recurvedportions B whichi'are received in the bearings B on the interior of thehood. It will be observed that no bearings areshown be- The recurvedportion is connectedto the body of the rod by a short stretch which,when taken in connection with the adjacent portions of the rod B, servesas a crank arm for engaging the abutments B In response to a lockingrotation of the handle C the crank ends of the rock shaft are given whatin-Figures 4 and 5 would be a clockwise'rotation. They engage theinclined surfaces B and the result is a camming effect whereby furtherrotation of the rock shaft tends" to draw the lower edge of the hoodboth inwardly and downwardly. The shaft being flexible and beingprovided with relatively long spaces which are free from restrictingbearings, a certain spring action or play is permitted which adds to thelocking effect and at the same time compensates for irregularitiesandprevents undue strain-on any; part ofthe device. It is necessary tomakethe edge B of sufiicientlength to engage the crank arms B1throughout a reasonable range; This provides for irregularities indimension and form of the various parts and also for irregularities inassembly of the parts. The member. B serves as an upper stop topreventanypossible overriding of the crank arms B over the inclined edge B Therecurved form of crank arm we find to be particularly advantageous owingto the fact that the bearings for .the endsof the rock shaft may begenerally aligned with the point of engagement of the crank arms and theabutment edges 13*. The result is a particularly firm locking effectwith a minimum of undesired play or spring, and a freedom from rattling.f

We claim:

1. A latching device for an automobile hood which includes a pluralityof latch abutments within the hood and laterally inwardly spacedtherefrom when the hood is in closed position, a rock shaft adapted tobe" supported upon the interior of said hood, said shaft having anintermediate offset portion, a cam member, adapted-to engage said offsetportion, rotatably mounted within and upon the hood, an exterior handleadapted to rotate said cam member, and additional portions on said shaftadapted toengage said latch abutments and bearings'interposed betweenthe ends of the rock shaft and the hood, the endsof the rock shaft,adjacent said last mentioned portions, being recurved toward theintermediate portion of-the shaft, to engagesaid bearings. a

2. A latching device for an automobile hood which includes a pluralityof latch abutments-positionedwithin the hood and laterally inwardly,spaced therefrom when the hood is in closed position,a rock shaftadapted to be supported ,upon the interior of the hood, and

engage said latch abutments, -sa id abutments' being provided withedgesfupwardly andinwardly inclined from the plane of restof the hood,adapted toreceive the offset portions means for rotating it, and offsetportions on said rock shaftadapted to hood which includes a plurality oflatch abutments positioned within the hood and laterally inwardly spacedtherefrom when the hood is in closed position, a rock shaft adapted tobe supported upon the interior of the hood, and means for rotating it,and offset portions on said rock shaft adapted to engage said latchabutments, said abutments being provided with surfaces upwardly andinwardly inclined from the planeof rest of the hood, adapted to receivethe offset portions of the. rock shaft when they are rotated intolocking position, the ends of said rock shaft being recurved adjacentsaid abutments, and bearing, supporting means for rotatably supporting.said recurved ends of the rock shaft to the hood, said bearing meanssubstantially aligned with the plane of engagement of the offsetportions of the rock shaft with the-latch abutments.

4. A latching device for an automobile hood which includes a pluralityof latch abutments positioned within the hood andlaterally inwardlyspaced therefrom fwhen the hood is in closed position, a resilient rockshaft adapted to be supported upon the interior of the hood, the ends ofsaid rock shaft being recurved and secured rotatably to said hood theportions of the shaft adjacent such recurved portions being aligned withsaid latch abutments, and means for rotating said rock shaft to thrustsaid portions thereof into latching engagement with said latchabutments. i A

5. A latching device for an automobile hood which includes a pluralityof latch abutments positioned within the hood,a rock shaft adapted to besupported upon the interior of the hood and means for rotating it, andsupporting bearings for said rock shaft, adjacent the middle of the rockshaft and at the two ends, the portions of said shaft intermediate saidmiddle and terminal bearings being flexed or offset.

6. A latching device for an automobile hood which includes a pluralityof latch abutments positioned within the hood, a rock shaft adapted tobe supported upon the interior of the hood and means for rotating it,terminal supporting bearings for the rock shaft, the ends of said rockshaft being recurved toward the center of the shaft, said recurved endpor-c tions being in engagement with the terminal supporting bearingsfor the rock-shaft, intermediate portions of said rockshaft beinglaterally offset from said recurved end portions,

said intermediate portions andend portions being connected b portions ofthe rock shaft 7 positioned beyon said terminal bearings.

7 A latching device for an automobile hood which includes a plurality oflatch abutments positioned within the hood, a rock shaft supported uponthe interior of the hood and means for rotating it, terminal supportingbearings for the rock shaft, intermediate bearing means for the rockshaft, said bearings being aligned along the axis ofrotation of theshaft, the ends of the rock shaft being recurved toward the center ofthe shaft, said recurved end portions being in engagement with theterminalsupporting bearings for the rock shaft,-the intermediateportions extending inwardly fromsaid recurved portions being out of linewith and inclinedin relation to the axis of rotation-of the rockshaft asa 7 hood which includes a plurality of latch abutk ments positionedwithin the hood, a rock shaft supported upon the interior ofthehood andmeans for'rotating it,terminal supporting bearings for the rock shaft,intermediate bearing means for the rock shaft, said bearings be-' ingaligned along theaxis of rotation of the shaft as a whole, the ends ofthe rock shaft being recurvedtoward the center of the shaft, saidrecurved end portions being in engagement with the terminal supportingbearings for the rock shaft, the intermediate portions extendinginwardly from said recurved portions being out of line with and inclinedin relation to the axis of rotation of the rock shaft as a whole, and anactuating member,'ad- 'acent the intermediate bearing means,- the rockshaft rotating means being adapted to cooperate. with said member.

9. A latching device for an automobile hood which includes a pluralityof latch abutments positioned within the hood and laterhood is in closedposition, a rock shaft adapted to be supported upon the interior of thehood, and means for'rotating it, and offset portions on said rock" shaftadapted to engage sai latch abutments, said abutments being providedwith surfaces upwardly and inwardly inclined from the plane of rest ofthe hood, adapted slidably to receive the offset portions of the rockshaft when theyfare rotated into locking position, theends of said rockshaft being recurved adjacent said abutments, and bearing supportingmeans for rotatably securing said recurved ends of the rock shaft to thehood, said bearing means being adjacent the points of engagement of theoffset portions of the rock shaft with the latch abutments.

Signed at State of Illinois,

-DIBRELL HYNES;

